Combination valve and enclosure plate for high pressure reaction vessels



g- 22, 1939- J. 1.. STECHER ET AL 2,170,353

COMBINATION VALVE AND ENCLOSURE PLATE FOR HIGH PRESSURE REACTION VESSELS Filed Nov. 19, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l N INVENTORS Juseph LEIEEHET ATTORNEY HerbErI HPark ET.

Aug. 22, 1939. J. L. STEHER Er AL 2 170,353

COMBINATION VALVE AND ENCLOSURE PLATE FOR HIGH PRESSURE REACTION VESSELS Filed Nov. 19, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS .lmsegh LETEEHEP. HE P1321 1 HPELTkEr BY I A RNEY PatcntedAug. .22, 1 939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICB amass communes VALVE mam man so: man ran-sauna ease-non VESSELS Joseph L. Steeher, Wilmington, DeL, and nu but 1!. Parker,,l'enns Grove, N. 1., alllgnorl to B. Lin Pontde Neurons 6 mm, Wilmington, Deh, a corporation of Delaware Application November is, mt, Scrlal No. 115,530

' s cum. (0!. 137-21) and granular reactants and products maybe safely handled. Still more particularly it relates to the discharge features of such vessels. In its preferred embodiment, the invention. pertains to a combined closure plate and valve mechanism for a high'pressure reaction vessel. It is an object of this invention to provide a high pressure reacting vessel with closure, elements which prevent the escape of volatile sub stances and which can be operated to permit the discharge of liquid and granular solid substances.'

A further object is to provide a reaction vessel with a combined enclosure plate and valve mech anism. A still further object isto provide a valve mechanism and port construction which when in a closed position will eliminate the formation of a dead pocket; A still further object is to provide a valve in which the seating surfaces may-be easily cleaned during a closing operation-so that 0;, a perfect joint may be insured. Other objects will-appear hereinafter. y

The above and other objects are accomplished by the device described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings-wherein similar ref- 3 erence numerals refer to similar parts throughout Fig. 2 is an enlarged viewgof the discharge port the several views.

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of a reaction vessel showing our improved valveconstruction in a closed position.

and the valve mechanism associated therewith. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the piston valve and seat structure;

1 Referring now more particularly to the draw- 40 ings, the reactionvesselcomprisesa horizontally ber IZWhichissurroundedbyaspacedcylindrical' '8', the ring "28' being diametrically split for convenience in assembly. Rings 2' and it are disposed cylindrical member! formingachamshell Ito form a space for the circulation of a heat exchange medium. The chamber is provid- 4 ed with end plates 4 and 5 which are internally constructed with jacket spaces 0 to allow for,

- the flow ofheat exchange medium. -,A charging port l is placed in'the upper central part of chamber! and the end plates 4 and lhave open- I 50 ings at their center portions which contain. antifriction bearings 8 for supportingfthe respective ends of agitator shaft 9.

The agitator shaft! maycontain aseries' of" flight" arms-llfor agitating the contents of the 55 vessel. The armsv are preferably equally T ent 210,491 toBrightman. Suchboth radially and along the shaft to rand a brok en spiral. .The arms may be of any design but preferably are of the type described in ms. Patan agitating action when shaft l s turned in one direction and a conveying action when the shaft is turned in the opposite direction; 'Tlhe' end flight arms ll are provided with-a scraping portion. i!" which keeps material'from collecting upon the end closure plates 4- and i. .A cap "is placed over one end of theshaft 9- and is-atht arms have tachedto closure plate 4 anda stufiing box it is I placed over the other end of the shaft 9.

L The and closure plate 4 at itsbottom. exterior edge has an outwardly extending portion which contains a cylindrical valve chamber ll. The

valve chambercommunicates with the reaction chamber I at It. A conduit portion also com-' municates with the chamber I as shown at l5 and forms an outlet from the valve'chamber. will be apparent from Fig. 2, the. valve chamber opening It to the reaction chamber is sealed by piston ll which -is shown in a closed position within sleeve l I. The sealed surfaces comprise an annular seat II which is mounted near the inner enii of the valve chamber i4 and an annular seatingsleeve I! which is mounted upon the outer end of the'piston' I. and held in place by collar 2. and locked in position by pin II. The annular seat I! and seating sleeve is are hardened. "It will be noted that-the piston is reduced in diameter just beyond the annular seating sleeve' I! and snugly fits within the chamber opening ll. A hand wheel 22 is rigidly fixed to valve rod 23 which in tum-is 113- idly'connected to piston I! by means of the nut 24. The piston-is also connected to a tubular valvestem ll through an interlocking collar 28 audit and annular ridges II- and 2! formed upon the, piston I! and tubular valve stem 25 respectively. The collar lt-consist's' ofan annular ring which snugly fits over av slit annular ring locked in close fitting rela onship by means of the set screw 21. The annular ridge member as may be integral with the tubular valve stem 25 or separate and rigidly connected thereto. Thetubularvalve stem II is supported in the respec tive legs SI and ii of yoke member 3| which is mounted upon the outwardly extending portion of theend closure plate 4." A stuffing box 32 is formed in an enlarged portion of the leg 30 of 'l'the yoke member, and an antifriction bearing assembly II is mounted in the outer leg ll of yoke 55 member 30'. The bearing assembly is maintained in place by annular plates 34 and 35 which are bolted to the leg 3!. A key 36 is formed on plate 35 which fits into slot 31 of valve stem 25 and prevents the 'same'from turning during operation The outer end of the tubular sleeve 25 is externally threaded to cooperate with the internal' threads of the. annular member 38 which has an annular ridge 3!! at its outer edge. A hand wheel 40 is fixedly attached to the annular member 38 by means of key M. A stufling box 12.

' tion chamber i of the vessel l and the desired process is started. If necessary, a heat exchange medium is circulated through the annular spaces 3 and 6 to bring the contents of the vessel up to some predetermined temperature. During.

- the processing the agitator shaft is continuously rotated to keep the contents of the vessel in a uniform state of agitation. Thus a reduction gear assembly (notshow'n) maybe operatively connected to the outer end of the shaft 9. The gear assembly should have a reversing mecha nism. After the contents of the vessel have been processed to the desired degree, the agitation is stopped and the hand wheel 40 is rotated to remove the piston valve Hi from its 'closed posi tion. The 'shaft 9 is thereupon rotated in the reverse direction so that the flight arms l0 have a conveying action and move the material toward the discharge opening l4. As soon as all the material has been forced out of the reaction vessel the piston valve is then moved to closure solid particles'which are maintained upon the valve seating surfaces are dislodged. Thus, during the final stage of the closing operation both hand wheels 40 and22 may be rotated to bring the seating surfaces into a tightlysealed'posi:

tion.

The apparatus above describedis of general utility in the arts and may be used for other purposes than chemical reaction vessels. Thus" the apparatus may beused in driers, agitating vessels, high pressure cooking ve'ssels, for-rendering fats, etc. Due to the novel construction which permits cleaning of the seating surfaces during the closing operation, this invention is especially adaptable where the material handled contains granular particles. Pressures up to 100 lbs. and higher may be successfully main tained with a valve of 8 inch size.

While the form of the present invention as .herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form,

,operatively attached thereto for axially moving the valve, 9. rod attached to said valve extending through said sleeve and a hand wheel attached thereto for rotating said valve.

l 2. A combination valve" and enclosure plate for a reaction vessel comprising an end plate having an outwardly extending cylindrical valve chamber, an axial inlet port. communicating therewith, a radial discharge port in said chamber, an annular valve seat disposed near said inlet port, a piston valve snugly fitting in said chamber, means for moving said valve axially V in said chamber and separate means for rotating said-valyefor cleaning said seat, the seating surfaces comprising a. hardened annular ring upon said valve and a hardened annular ring in said chamber. Y

3. A piston valve comp g a cylindrical valve chamberyan axially disposed inlet port communicating with said chamber; a valve seat juxtaposed-about said port, a radial discharge port communicating with said chamber, an axially and rotatably movable piston valve snugly fitting in said chamber, a threaded sleeve connected to said piston valve, and ahand'wheel operatively attached thereto for axially moving the valve, a rod attached to said valve extending. through said sleeve and a hand wheel attached thereto for rotating said sleeve, the

sleeve being supported in a U-shaped yoke memberattached to the valve chamber.

JOSEPH L. STECHER. HERBERT H. PARKER. 

